M3/M4 [Official] 2021 BMW M3 and M4 [G80 & G82]

[Frankie G]

This week I have driven the X4M and M4 Competition with bucket seats. My main point of comparison is my 1,450kg M140i with:
-M Performance LSD
-Underbody brace,
-Bird Suspension(Custom valved Bilstein dampers and progressive Eibach springs)
-Michelin Pilot Sport 4

X4M
Good
- I am a huge lift back fan.
-The M1 and M2 buttons are perfectly positioned
and should be on every bimmer. Much easier and quicker to switch modes than fiddling with gear
selector and pressing buttons around it.
-Great confidence in braking with minimal diving.
-Ride quality isn't as harsh or fidgety as I expected.

Bad
- Unfortunately the car can't hide its weight. It's
1,000kg/2200lb heavier than my M140i and feels like it. There is too much body roll in corners.

-Speed sensation below 50mph is underwhelming.

-I don't feel connected to the car. Grip levels and
insulation is too high. It's not numb but I have no
sensation of what the wheels are doing. Zero wheelspin. I want to "feel the car".

-Wrong engine for the car. The S58 feels like a more linear version of the B58. However such a heavy car would benefit from max torque much lower down
than the S58 offers. Alternatively it would benefit
from a V8.

Conclusion
-Not worth £80k brand new unless you can only own one car and must have a big boot. It's a car that tries to be too many things. You are better off buying two cars. A practical one and a fun one.

G82 M4 Competition with bucket seats

LIKE
-Exceptional turn-in that defies expectations. BMW M have done a sensational job with the innovative front axle. When steering aggressively the entire car turns with your body. Stepping out of the car I was in disbelief about how such a big car can feel precise and agile.

-Steering difference between Comfort and Sport
and dramatic! In the former the car is slack like a GT but in the latter response and turn-in is
significantly more aggresive. In many cars, sport
mode just makes the steering heavier without any tangible difference in turn-in or responsiveness.

-The S58 engine is louder than in the X4M, however I don't know whether its because the M4 has less insulation or whether more fake noise is pumped through the speakers.

-It's unmistakably a sports car rather than a
powerful BMW. For a very new car, the speed
sensation is good with the car not feeling too overly insulated, assisted or new school.

-The traction control has low intrusion. You don't
need to switch it off or dial it down in order to kick out the rear or steer with the throttle.

Thanks for the write-up.

What are your impressions of the bucket seats? Did you get to spend enough time in them over different road surfaces?

My main point of comparison is my 1,450kg M140i

It's
1,000kg/2200lb heavier than my M140i and feels like it.

And is the X4M really a 2,450kg car or is that how much heavier if 'felt' than your M140i?

 

[Centurion]

Thanks for the write-up.

What are your impressions of the bucket seats? Did you get to spend enough time in them over different road surfaces?




And is the X4M really a 2,450kg car or is that how much heavier if 'felt' than your M140i?

Sorry. Made a typo with the X4M weight. It's 2,095kg. In a nutshell the car was underwhelming and didn't feel race car enough. Not worthy of the M badge IMO. You are better off saving money by buying an X4 M40i and maybe doing a stage 1 remap.

UNSURE
-I love the ZF8 gearbox. It's as good as it is in many cars. However, I don't find it as urgent or intelligent enough as PDK. Occasionally in auto mode it feels slow in shifting down. Great gearbox but is not perfect for a flagship sports car.

-This is a personal choice but I wouldn't spec the car with carbon bucket seats. I drove the car for 30 min and it felt like I was sitting on them rather than in them.

Standard seats for me please. It's like comparing a padded dining chair with a premium office chair.

Some people love bucket seats and can daily an SVJ or GT3 while others can't stand them in a daily driver. You have to drive a bucket seat car for a meaningful period to find out which camp you fall into. No matter how cool your car is, you will end up hating it if you don't get on with the seats.

S58 vs B58
This is a really interesting comparison. One is officially an M engine but the other one isn't. As mentioned above the S58 is a bit more linear in delivering it's power and torque in order to simulate the characteristics of a naturally aspirated engine. On the other hand the B58 delivers it's max torque from a lower RPM, creating a strong shove at lower speeds.

When driving aggressively above 3k rpm, the B58 is no less urgent than the S58. They are both athletic and high performance engine but with a bit of variation. Neither it worse or greatly superior to the other especially if you tune the B58 to a stage one. I love both engines!

 

[Frankie G]

Sorry. Made a typo with the X4M weight. It's 2,095kg. In a nutshell the car was underwhelming and didn't feel race car enough. Not worthy of the M badge IMO. You are better off saving money by buying an X4 M40i and maybe doing a stage 1 remap.

UNSURE
-I love the ZF8 gearbox. It's as good as it is in many cars. However, I don't find it as urgent or intelligent enough as PDK. Occasionally in auto mode it feels slow in shifting down. Great gearbox but is not perfect for a flagship sports car.

-This is a personal choice but I wouldn't spec the car with carbon bucket seats. I drove the car for 30 min and it felt like I was sitting on them rather than in them.

Standard seats for me please. It's like comparing a padded dining chair with a premium office chair.

Some people love bucket seats and can daily an SVJ or GT3 while others can't stand them in a daily driver. You have to drive a bucket seat car for a meaningful period to find out which camp you fall into. No matter how cool your car is, you will end up hating it if you don't get on with the seats.

S58 vs B58
This is a really interesting comparison. One is officially an M engine but the other one isn't. As mentioned above the S58 is a bit more linear in delivering it's power and torque in order to simulate the characteristics of a naturally aspirated engine. On the other hand the B58 delivers it's max torque from a lower RPM, creating a strong shove at lower speeds.

When driving aggressively above 3k rpm, the B58 is no less urgent than the S58. They are both athletic and high performance engine but with a bit of variation. Neither it worse or greatly superior to the other especially if you tune the B58 to a stage one. I love both engines!

Very informative, thank you.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

This week I have driven the X4M and M4 Competition with bucket seats. My main point of comparison is my 1,450kg M140i with:
-M Performance LSD
-Underbody brace,
-Bird Suspension(Custom valved Bilstein dampers and progressive Eibach springs)
-Michelin Pilot Sport 4

X4M
Good
- I am a huge lift back fan.
-The M1 and M2 buttons are perfectly positioned
and should be on every bimmer. Much easier and quicker to switch modes than fiddling with gear
selector and pressing buttons around it.
-Great confidence in braking with minimal diving.
-Ride quality isn't as harsh or fidgety as I expected.

Bad
- Unfortunately the car can't hide its weight. It's
1,000kg/2200lb heavier than my M140i and feels like it. There is too much body roll in corners.

-Speed sensation below 50mph is underwhelming.

-I don't feel connected to the car. Grip levels and
insulation is too high. It's not numb but I have no
sensation of what the wheels are doing. Zero wheelspin. I want to "feel the car".

-Wrong engine for the car. The S58 feels like a more linear version of the B58. However such a heavy car would benefit from max torque much lower down
than the S58 offers. Alternatively it would benefit
from a V8.

Conclusion
-Not worth £80k brand new unless you can only own one car and must have a big boot. It's a car that tries to be too many things. You are better off buying two cars. A practical one and a fun one.

G82 M4 Competition with bucket seats

LIKE
-Exceptional turn-in that defies expectations. BMW M have done a sensational job with the innovative front axle. When steering aggressively the entire car turns with your body. Stepping out of the car I was in disbelief about how such a big car can feel precise and agile.

-Steering difference between Comfort and Sport
and dramatic! In the former the car is slack like a GT but in the latter response and turn-in is
significantly more aggresive. In many cars, sport
mode just makes the steering heavier without any tangible difference in turn-in or responsiveness.

-The S58 engine is louder than in the X4M, however I don't know whether its because the M4 has less insulation or whether more fake noise is pumped through the speakers.

-It's unmistakably a sports car rather than a
powerful BMW. For a very new car, the speed
sensation is good with the car not feeling too overly insulated, assisted or new school.

-The traction control has low intrusion. You don't
need to switch it off or dial it down in order to kick out the rear or steer with the throttle.

There is no negative word for the M4. Quite impressive.

 

[Centurion]

There is no negative word for the M4. Quite impressive.

The difference between it and the X4 is night and day. Thankfully the touring will launch soon.

As a package the new M4 is quintessentially BMW. Although older cars are more raw, the car does not feel numb. It communicates meaningful amount of information about the road and tyres without being too harsh.

Power in the M4 competition is just right, not too much too handle nor too little. However the non-competition probably is on the cusp of not powerful enough for a thrilling experience.

I wonder whether the new M2 will get a similar highly engineered front axle. Coincidentally this is where the G82 and 992 GT3 have achieved the greatest gain in handling, engagement and steering response.

Having spoken to one sales person and one M3 AWD owner. They say that the AWD variant is great but lack a little bit of the front end crispness of the RWD variant.

 

[SCOTT27]

The next Web Episode counting down to launch.

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Apparently viewings are about to commence to show the final production car with the new iDrive (Exactly like the i4 apparently) out with the hand built model showcased throughout current media.
Still on the fence about Black,Sao Paulo Yellow and Isle of Man Green which in a recent bout of good weather in a drive in an M4 Competition was really eye catching like a San Marino Sea.

 

[Deleted member 57437]

Simply reviewing the thread, leaving me contemplating...

...Goodness Gracious, how quickly time flies !

 

[SCOTT27]

Simply reviewing the thread, leaving me contemplating...

...Goodness Gracious, how quickly time flies !

That’s a fantastic picture. I would get that framed.

 

[Merc1]

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[Matski]

Simply reviewing the thread, leaving me contemplating...

Still have Diana's on the mind I see.

 

[SCOTT27]

New M trifecta being previewed. M3 Touring and something else....
New Frozen Brooklyn Grey and another in Zandvoort Blue.

 

[Deleted member 57437]

Still have Diana's on the mind I see.

...back when the "Diana" was presented, I was a lad of 17. I envied Hubert Hahne for his girlfriend, the car's namesake. Diana Körner was quite the "hottie" back in the early 1970s'.

 

[Merc1]

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[Merc1]

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[J.E]

 

[Der Hofmeister]

First glimpse of the upcoming M4 CSL (posted on BMW M Facebook Page)

Notice the anticipated, M-specific headlights and the new tail lights probably incorporating OLED technology.

 

[manuelf]

I'm curious to see the first real track tests ... the applied aero (front splitter, ducktail) seems quite conservative ... miles away from e.g. a 992 GT3 ... is there done some underbody magic? Is this splitter/ducktail much more effective than it looks? ... or will the CSL sacrifice on downforce?
Maybe it is just my fault ... because when thinking CSL. I'm at the same time thinking GT3, AMG GT R/BlackSeries ... but as I said -> eventually my fault ... since the CSL also clearly lives in a price category below those cited sportscars.

 

[TopspeedPT]

 

[SCOTT27]

Phew!! ?‍? I thought they gave it a “Joker” Smile there. If only the rear lights were as thin as the OLED strips.

 

[mini_cooper4]

Tacky